Small Towns Near Denver

About Frederick, CO

One of the best small towns near Denver

Twenty miles north of the Mile High City lies one the best small towns near Denver, the town of Frederick, CO. This family-friendly small town near Denver has a rich history of being built on what matters.

The Town of Frederick is located on Colorado’s beautiful Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The Town is comprised of 14 square miles of area, both east and west of Interstate 25, south of State Highway 119, and along State Highway 52. Its current population of over 10,000 residents enjoy the town’s central location which allows easy access to the Denver and northern metropolitan areas. The transportation network opens up a wide variety of major attractions less than 30 minutes away. At the center of the Carbon Valley area, which includes Firestone, Dacono, Mead and Erie, Frederick plays the role of community hub for a larger population of 46,000. Community members enjoy unparalleled views of the Rocky Mountains and recreational opportunities abound throughout the community’s trails, parks and open space. Educational amenities and opportunities for com­munity involvement allow Frederick’s residents to take an active role in shaping a community they are proud to call home. As one of the fastest growing communities in Colorado, Frederick is working hard to ensure that growth results in a cohesive community that preserves the small-town feel and rich heritage its residents have come to enjoy.

I love living in Frederick. The growth is exciting and there are so many ways to be involved in the community.

Dustan FlanaganFrederick Resident

Our History

Learn more about the small town of Frederick, CO

Frederick has been built on what matters since 1907, when a group of mostly Italian immigrants chose to make a better life for their families by taking the opportunity to work in the many coal mines in the area. Though it was very dangerous work with meager pay, it was a chance at a new life in America. They embraced the challenge to build a community they were proud to call home. Educating the next generation has always been a priority in Frederick and in 1916, they built the first Frederick High School. When a local grocery store was seen as a need, a local family opened one that also served as a bank to cash paychecks from the mine. When the townspeople wanted a diversion from the stresses of working in the mine, a gambling game would materialize to entertain and distract. When they were in need of a reliable water source, they banded together to purchase what is now known as Milavec Lake at Frederick Recreation Area. And after the flood in 1957, they worked together to pick up the pieces just as neighbors helped neighbors after the most recent flood in 2013.

Our Future

Where is this small town near Denver headed?

Exciting things are happening in the growing Town of Frederick, Colorado. If you haven’t visited Frederick recently, chances are you’ll be surprised at what you find. Hundreds of new homes are being built each year, outpacing housing starts for the surrounding communities of Longmont, Firestone and Dacono combined the past two years. Longmont United Hospital opened the first phase of a health campus called Indian Peaks Medical Center at the corner of Silver Birch Blvd (CR11) and SH 52 in December 2013. The popular cell-phone case manufacturer Otterbox recently chose Frederick for a distribution and call center outpost. Small businesses such as Georgia Boys BBQ, Carbon Valley Coffee Roasters and Mr. Todd’s Barbershop are creating a name for themselves in Frederick’s downtown. So what’s the secret? According to Frederick’s Mayor Tony Carey, it all comes down to collaboration and communication to create a strong community.

"We talk a lot about visions of the town and the directions that we'd like to see, as representatives of the people who live here," Carey said. "Most of all the word that seems to come up is community. All of our priorities are based upon creating a community to meet the needs of our residents."

In 2014, Frederick unveiled a new brand and logo that reflect the pioneering spirit that continues to be a foundation for one of the best small towns near Denver where the life you dream of is yours to create. Community members in Frederick know that their voice makes a difference and that they continue to have an active role in creating a community they can be proud to call home. The new brand was truly inspired by the people who live and work in Frederick and can be seen in the brand video and promise below.

In Frederick…
We believe in rolling up our sleeves
Not just for ourselves, but for each other.
We believe in playing outside until the stars flicker on
and protecting the hallowed ground of childhood.
We believe in a lifelong commitment to actions as good as our intentions.

We believe in the power of our voices and the obligation
of our hearts to form a strong foundation.
We believe we’re onto something that’s worth all we can give it.
Here the life we dream of is ours to create.

My husband and I moved to Frederick in 2005 and have found it is a wonderful place to raise a family. We have two small boys and love the parks and other amenities Frederick has to offer. Seeing familiar faces at local businesses is another thing that makes Frederick so great. We are often greeted by name, and always with a smile. Although Frederick has grown quickly over the last decade, it has retained the home-town feel we’ve come to love so much.

Kristen DavisFrederick Resident

Family-Friendly

Families call Frederick, CO home

Frederick’s median age of 33.3 says more about the kind of people attracted to this small town near Denver’s family-friendly environment than anything else we could say: young families are choosing to call Frederick home. Top notch public safety, a vast array of community amenities and a stellar school system all make Frederick the perfect place for a growing family.

Frederick has an active Neighborhood Watch program that the Frederick Police Department works hard to support as a way of fostering two-way communication with each neighborhood. Frederick is also served by the Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District which recently received a Class 2 rating from the Insurance Service Office (ISO) putting them in the top 1.5% of fire department ISO ratings in Colorado and the United States.

Frederick currently has 26 acres of park land per 1,000 people which is significantly higher than most communities in the Front Range and 85% of all residents have a pocket park or neighborhood park within walking distance. Frederick is also home to the Carbon Valley Recreation Center, Gymnastics Center and Senior Center as well as the Bulrush Wetland Park and Frederick Recreation Area.

Frederick is part of the St. Vrain Valley School District, the 8th largest in the state. Superintendent Don Haddad was named the 2013 National Superintendent of the Year and the district is regularly honored with statewide awards for excellence. The St. Vrain Valley School District works tirelessly to provide our children with an education full of diverse opportunity while staying on the cutting edge of technology and educational trends.There are twelve schools in the Carbon Valley area of which seven are in Frederick including Frederick High School.